Run Out The Building

This photo by Darrell Hoemann is just one instance from last night's game where a lightning fast Dayton player blew by an Illini defender and got to the basket for a layup or dunk.

Dayton's team is 10-11 guys who can run the floor and explode to the basket. With that mind, if they're also hitting their outside shots - as they were last night - and your team is missing its outside shots - as the Illini were last night - your team is definitely going to lose.

So much for my grand plans to drink 15 beers and watch the Illini play at MSG next Tuesday.

Now I'll have to find somewhere else to drink 15 beers.

Scouting The Dayton Flyers

Everyone knows that the coolest thing about Dayton, Ohio is the U.S. Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. My Dad and I went there about 8 years ago and I can tell you that it is choice.

Of course Dayton also has a university - the University of Dayton - which, year-to-year, has a solid basketball program. The Flyers finished 22-12, 8-8 on the season and, like the Illini, were sitting on the NCAA tournament bubble come selection time.

Also like the Illini, the Flyers were shoved off to the NIT where, tonight, they will travel to Champaign for an NIT Quarterfinal matchup against Bruce Weber and the Boys.

So what do we need to know about the Flyers?

A few things jump out at me as I peruse their season peformance:

- Dayton has played a handful of good teams - Villanova, Kansas St., New Mexico - and though they lost those three games, they did manage victories over tournament teams Georgia Tech, Lehigh, Old Dominion, and a big 25-point win at home over Sweet 16 entrant Xavier. Bottom line: the Flyers aren't going to be intimidated by the Illini.

- Dayton, like Illinois, entered the season ranked in the Top 25. They failed to live up to those pre-season expectations, but have won their two NIT games by an average of 18 points. They're playing good basketball.

- Dayton likes to run and their leading scorer, forward Chris Wright, was an All-Atlantic 10 selection. He gets about 7 rebounds a game. Look for the Flyers to try to outmuscle the Illini on the boards and get points in transition.

As for the Illini, tonight's game is, surprising to say, big. Illini fans would be hard pressed to stomach another loss at Assembly Hall, and it would be outstanding experience for Brandon Paul, D.J. Richardson and Tyler Griffey - three freshmen who figure large in the Illini plans for the next three years - to get some playing time at Madison Square Garden. It's also another opportunity for the juniors - Demetri, Tisdale, Davis and Cole - to show they can lead the team to tournament-style wins.

I'm way more excited about this game than I thought I'd be.

Illini Get It Dun Against The Golden Flashes

Strong victory.

That's how men get it dun.

A Visit To Stony Brook

A plush benefit of the Illini not making the NCAA Tournament was that, by odd circumstance, they played a road NIT game at Stony Brook University on Long Island.

Stony Brook is about an hour and 45 minute train ride from Manhattan. I made it out there a few minutes after tip-off. My friend Jeff and I had tickets in the front row. Unfortunately, Stony Brook had double-sold some seats, and someone was already sitting in our spot. We managed to move around the packed arena and eventually grabbed some seats on the other side of the court.

It was a crazy fun atmosphere, made all the better by the Illini victory.

This was our view as we stood along the sideline in the first half. Demetri McCamey had just drained a three here.

Another good shot of our first-half vantage point. Stony Brook hung tough throughout the game, running a steady halfcourt offense.

I believe that's Brandon Paul setting up a free throw shot.

The old-school scoreboard hanging from the rafters.

For a few minutes we sat a few feet behind the ESPNU announcing crew. I didn't recognize any of them.

The Stony Brook mascot is a wolf. Considering their team name is the Seawolves, I thought the wolf should be wearing some kind of Navy uniform. But he wasn't.

We had a great view of the Illini as they walked out of the locker room for the second half.

This is during halftime warm ups.

Bruce Weber walked right past us on his way out for the second half.

This was our view for the second half. The Stony Brook cheerleaders and dance team got a major work out during the game. They danced at every time stoppage.

Weber doling out some instructions during a timeout.

And there you have it. The Illini held on to win a competitive game 76-66 over a frisky Stony Brook squad.